Viola da Gamba – Bass duets: Martha Bishop, Lullaby for Twins

April 17, 2009

The easiest in the collection technically. For anyone baulking at modern music for viols, it’s in an accessible key, straightforward rhythms and a tempo marking of “Slowly, gently”. We’re aiming for smoothness of sound, especially in the long notes, and the extensive use of slurred quavers – so necessary to the lullaby feel – forces one out of half-position into fingerboard work along French baroque lines. There are no double-stops and no dramatic string crossings – those come in the later pieces.

The 28 bars lead naturally to the second piece, Come Dance with Me and the Gmin key is repeated in this one, plus Togetherness.